#GIRLPOWER: Girls get their hands dirty with robotics and STEM-themed obstacle course!

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DALLAS -- Since 2012, October 11 has been dubbed International Day of the Girl.

According to the UN, girls in conflict zones like Syria, where a civil war is going on, are more likely to be out of school; giving them fewer opportunities for work as young women.

So it makes sense that this year, the focus is on the lack of educational opportunities for many girls around the globe. And what better way to celebrate the girl, her empowerment, and education - then with a little robotics.

Jennifer Bartkowski , Chief Executive Officer, Girl Scouts Northeast Texas said, "So excited to be here at Texas Instruments, this is a great event for girls to get their hands on robotics and to really learn about STEM - and to have that girl only exciting spaces where they can explore what science, technology, and engineering are all about."

Hundreds of girls from across North Texas got their hands dirty competing in a STEM-themed obstacle course.

But if you think speed programming robot brains was all that went on, think again. Some of DFW's leading ladies of STEM created a power panel and dropped some knowledge on the young girls’ right before things got started.

"Even if anything looks hard when you get started it’s not really that tough or difficult. So if you are confident and if they are a problem solver and if you like doing cool things, then all of this becomes easy along the way,” says Krunali Patel, Vice President and General Manager of Analog Design Services at Texas Instruments.

While similar events have taken place all around the country, Dallas has is one of the biggest and one of the most important.

"I always like to watch my dad when he starts to fix things so this is really interesting to me because I’m learning how to do it by myself,” said one student.

So what’s the moral of the story? Support the girls in your life today and every day. After all, the future is female right?